Ring of Fire
by EclipsedbyJacob
Summary: I'd never heard phrases like "Pacific Ring of Fire" or the "Cascadia Subduction Zone" before it was too late. Now, everything is different, especially me. I will survive this apocalypse.
1. Chapter 1

**What's this EbJ? Another fic you've started? But you haven't finished the other mess of crap you've been working on! **

**No, I haven't, but I still plan on it. In the mean time, try this...  
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**Chapter 1 **

**-Oblivious**

There were lots of things I didn't know before I moved to Forks. I never would have admitted it before, but I have since been enlightened and I'm no longer ashamed. Illumination was a riot.

But before all the light bulbs clicked on I lived a happily benign existence. I was just a girl, a rather plain and unimpressive one at that. Sure, I got good grades and took care of Renee, but I really didn't know jack. I thought coming to Forks was a good thing. It was time to bond with Charlie and time for the newlyweds to get acquainted so they'd lose interest already. I figured once they really got to know each other, Renee and Phil would realize they were completely incompatible and I would be back in time to go to Arizona State just like we'd always planned. It hadn't taken long to realize the flaw in my reasoning. Turns out, Phil actually _likes_ mom's annoying little quirks and inability to settle on any one task. And the decade that separated their ages seemingly meant nothing. I couldn't believe how the whole relationship turned out.

Only a few days after I arrived in Washington, Renee would tell me she and Phil were moving to Florida. I was welcome to "_visit"_ any time I wanted. That's when I actually had to start assessing life around me. It's when I began to absorb everything, the people, the places and the…green. It was beautiful in its own right, but to me, Forks would always be cold, dark and hopeless. I wanted my harsh desert browns again. Forks was a blip on the radar, but I would have to endure it for a year, sidewalks or no. After that…well, I knew where I was heading, back to the big skies and brown landscapes of the American Southwest.

Charlie met me at the airport in full uniform, but the hat was thankfully tucked beneath his arm. He was drawing enough attention as it was. He reached down to give me an awkward pat on the back, along with a gruff, "I missed you, Bells," and we were on our way.

I made one sided conversation with a grunting and mostly unresponsive Charlie. I have to admit, he was a bit of an enigma to me. We hadn't spent much time together when I was growing up. A couple weeks in the summer and once or twice he braved the drive to come visit me on my birthdays. I didn't know him at all. But he was still my dad and I owed him something for that. Conversation was always forced and stilted between us, but it was both our natures to be quiet and reserved, the opposite of my flighty and overtly social mother. Sometimes, genetics were a slippery slope.

I had a whole week to kill before school started and my senior year at Forks High would begin. I wasn't worried about that. I would do as I always did, blend in and stay focused. School was the easy part. It was the people I feared. Phoenix was huge. Nobody noticed anyone. I liked that, could handle that, but Forks was something else.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the tiny little town. Of course, I only had Renee to prep me for it and that left me more nervous than ever. Her graduating class had only thirty six seniors. Charles Swan had been the best looking which is how my mom got her clutches in him. Stealing a glance at the straight backed man next to me, mustache twitching as he drove exactly the speed limit down the highway, my mind boggled.

The little white house surrounded by towering pines looked the same as it always had. On the outside, the paint peeled a little, revealing the wood beneath and the inside was unchanged. Charlie had purchased the purple bedspread when I was eight and it still covered the tiny twin mattress. The frame squeaked familiarly when I dropped into it, but familiarity did nothing to soothe me. I was homesick. The air was thick and wet, inviting me to lose control of the stinging tears. Somehow, I swallowed them back and fell asleep.

I dreamed that first night of desert heat.

It took less time acclimating myself to Charlie than the weather. The next morning I woke up too early and realized there was no cereal or pancake mix or oatmeal or milk or anything aside from some Folgers and a few trout carcasses in the freezer. Charlie was not one for the grocery store, evidently. Luckily, he was an early riser, so I measured out some coffee and waited for him to stumble down the stairs.

Charlie pulled the cruiser to the front door of the Forks Supermarket, handed me a few twenties and told me to call when I was finished. He would wait at the station a block down Main. The good news is that no matter where you are in the United States, grocery stores are set up in pretty much the same layout and it was easy to navigate through fresh territory. I paid close attention as I pushed the squeaky cart down each aisle, looking for the labels I recognized.

The girl at the checkout was tall, but very slender. She was drowning in the brown store vest, but still managed to look very pretty. "Hi," she greeted, before her eyes widened. "Oh, Isabella, right? I didn't think I'd see you until school started."

I raised a brow as she started scanning items without taking her eyes from mine. She had long dark hair that was braided neatly and lightly tanned skin. I wondered if it was natural or if she'd been vacationing over the summer. Her eyes looked through purple framed glasses and her smile was shy.

"Sorry, I forget you don't know anyone. I'm Angela. We'll probably be in some of the AP classes together." I knew she was trying to be friendly, but it was a little spooky that she seemed to know so much about me. Like the fact I'd be taking almost a full schedule of honors classes.

I was saved from answering when my cell started ringing. With an apologetic look that Angela waved off I pulled it from my pocket.

"Hey Bells," came Charlie's muffled voice.

"Hey, Charlie."

"You remember Billy Black, right?" How could I forget? Billy was Charlie's oldest friend. I had accompanied the two of them on many a fishing excursion before finally refusing to go entirely. "There was an accident out on the one-oh-one and I asked him to give you a ride home. I won't be able to make it until late."

"Oh," I said dumbly. My mind was picturing old Billy. He had been confined to a wheelchair since the accident that took his wife. I don't recall seeing him behind the wheel of a car in my life.

"Alright, Bells. I'll try and call you later."

"Sure."

I finished the checkout with Angela as quietly as considered polite and pushed my fully stocked cart out the automatic door. My eyes swept the parking lot. I didn't even know what kind of car Billy might roll up in and it was starting to rain.

Five soaked minutes later a little red car pulled up in front of me. A giant arm reached over and unrolled the window. "Bella!" a smiling, dark face greeted me.

I bent and looked at him. Recognition swirled at the edge of my mind but wasn't coming easily. Before I could say anything he was out of the little car, opening the hatch and grabbing a few of the groceries. I stood there stupidly in the rain watching him load everything before it dawned on me who I was looking at. "Jake?" I hadn't seen Billy's youngest in forever but he wasn't the same scrawny, bother I'd known. Oh no. Little Jacob Black had grown up.

"I wasn't sure you'd remember." His smile was so wide, so warm I couldn't help but return it.

"I didn't."

"Come on," he said, ignoring my admission and opening the passenger door. "You look like you're freezing."

I gratefully slid into the seat as Jacob ran around the car and got in. He shot me one more smile and cranked up the radio. The screech of a hard rock guitar blared from the speakers and we were off. Jake and I fell into easy conversation. He was bright and funny and I couldn't help but laugh. It felt good. There'd really only been me and Renee. Connecting with a peer was indescribable. It was only later, _after_, I realized that I made my first friend on that afternoon.

I made Grandma Swan's stroganoff for dinner that night. And despite an obviously hard afternoon with the accident, Charlie smiled and actually thanked me. I was elated.

All too soon, school started and I was finally introduced to the special dynamic that is small town high school. While any normal high school would have obvious, segregated groups, Forks High knew no such limitation. Band geeks hung out with cheerleaders and the shop boys fraternized with the debaters. There were no lines in the sand, no room to blend into the background. And as the new girl, I was a rarity that no one ignored.

Two weeks into my stay in Forks I was experiencing something I'd never been prepared for: popularity. Yeah, go figure, plain and unimpressive and popular. Luckily, Angela kept me from being overwhelmed during school hours and Jake afterward. It wouldn't have been so bad if not for one extremely irritating problem. While I may have been the top of the pyramid as far as most of the high school was concerned, I lacked the attention from the one place I desired.

His name was Edward Cullen and other than the first day in Biology when he looked ready to tear my head off, he paid me zero attention. It might not have been so noticeable, but he was my lab partner, a little communication might have been nice. Then, there was the fact he had no trouble chatting it up with anyone else in the school. It was just me he despised.

I tried not to care, but it was impossible sitting next to him day after day, especially when he looked like _that_. The bronze hair and pale skin just made those crazy intense eyes more beautiful. He smelled so good, like soap and lemons and sexy boy. He sat stoically, eyes narrowed and forward at all times, except when I caught him gazing at me out of the corner of my eye.

Everything changed on my eighteenth birthday. No one knew except Charlie who was planning to take me to the Lodge for dinner. I hadn't heard from Renee, but she would remember within the week. And I was sure not to tell Angela. I still wasn't used to be put on display and birthdays tended to be big affairs at Forks High.

That's why, when at the end of class I felt a cool hand wrap around my wrist, my heart stopped beating. Instinctively, I knew who it was, but it took me a moment to catch my breath and turn around. Edward Cullen was smiling at me. A real smile and I almost fainted right then and there. His crazy autumn hair sprouted every which way as he cocked a brow and leaned closer.

"Happy birthday, Bella," he whispered. "I have a present for you."

He leaned forward and touched his lips to my cheek. My heart stopped again and the next thing I knew I was alone and hyperventilating in the Mr. Banner's classroom. It suddenly felt like the best birthday ever.

Little did I know…

I finished the school day in ignorant bliss. Charlie invited Jake and Billy along to the Lodge for dinner and I didn't even mind so much when the waitress brought out a piece of pie with a candle stuck in it. My face was undoubtedly the color of a tomato, but I smiled broadly as they sang and even closed my eyes to blow out the candle. I made a wish, but it wouldn't mean anything. I'd never get my stupid wish. The world was about to change.

That night I went for a walk and learned life lesson number one. It was something that I definitely should have known sooner. I don't know if it would have changed anything, but I would at least know what to expect. I might have at least been able to save myself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two to get us to the good stuff…**

**Chapter 2**

**-Lessons**

As I set off into the woods, I couldn't help the excitement that was bubbling through my chest. It had a little bit to do with the Blacks' old Chevy that Jacob lovingly restored and Charlie gifted me, but was more because a certain smiling boy from Biology and a soft kiss. My steps were light atop the damp forest floor and I was proud to say I barely stumbled beneath the dense canopy.

This is when I learned life lesson number one: _Washington sits on very shaky ground._

It was a small quake, but I could still feel the shock rumble through the ground beneath my feet. Later I found out the epicenter was located fifty miles west, out in the Pacific. It didn't do much damage, toppled a few barns, cracked a few highways, but I still knew what it was immediately even if I hadn't heard phrases like "Pacific Ring of Fire" and "Cascadia subduction zone" before. Growing up in Arizona hadn't left me accustomed to things like earthquakes, volcanoes or plate tectonics and no one had bothered to fill me in when I moved. I had no idea less than seventy miles from me The Juan De Fuca plate was slowly slipping beneath the North American plate. It moved slowly, at a rate of four millimeters a year, but stress builds. The last major quake was over three hundred years ago and it was only a matter of time before the entire fault – all six hundred and eighty miles of it – let loose.

But I didn't know any of that yet. At that point, I wasn't afraid. It was like the sensation of tires rolling over smooth hills, nothing violent. Somewhere, my mind was conjuring up terrifying images I had seen on television of massive quakes with falling bridges and crumpled buildings, but I was able to remain calm. If anything, I was still floating on my naïve Edward-Cullen-actually-kissed-me high and a little shiver under my feet wasn't going to dispel that feeling. I did, however, turn back for home. I mean, a tree could fall on me out there and I was determined not to let anything muck up the rest of my birthday.

I barely made it a few steps before my phone started ringing.

"Bells?" There was more emotion than I had ever heard in Charlie's voice. "Are you okay?"

"Sure, I'm heading back now," I answered calmly.

A heavy breath sighed over the line. "Good, but hurry. Sometimes there are aftershocks."

I got my ass moving. I wasn't scared, no, but I didn't have a death wish either. I promised Charlie I'd be there in ten and started walking quickly back through the forest. I made good time, but really, there was never any chance. I could just see the white paint at the back of Charlie's house beginning to peak through the trees. I remember that very well. After that, things are a little unclear.

But I remember enough.

Life lesson number two: _Monsters are real_.

The force that slammed into me was strong enough to shatter bones, but shock kept me from crying out. Hard arms closed around my body and then the world was a swirl of green for a few agonizing instants, before everything faded to blissful black.

Then, it was on top of me, skin cold and hard, grinding into soft, warm flesh. I felt it moving against me, sliding in and out between me. I kept my eyes closed. It had already started. Instinctually, I knew that nothing would stop it now. It was better to just let this thing finish with me. I turned my head and gritted my teeth, but its lips were at my ear. Icy breath hit my face and I forced myself not to cringe away.

Its tongue tasted the exposed length of my neck then groaned salaciously. "So warm, _human_," it hissed. "So tight and bloody."

His movements became harder. I could feel my bones compacting each time he slammed into them. He was doing irreparable damage. He was too big, too hard. It was tearing apart my insides even before I felt the sharp crack of my pelvis. Agony left my throat in a piercing scream and my eyes snapped open.

He was there, pumping into my broken body and his eyes were looking directly into mine. Later I would remember long blond hair, loose and wavy around his sneering smile. I would remember the bright teeth, gleaming through my tears. But the details came later. At the time there were only red eyes that brightened as I screamed. Then, his mouth was on mine, drinking my pain with tongue and teeth. The nauseating taste of salty copper flooded my mouth.

The man groaned again, tongue and mouth in a frenzy on mine as he devoured my bleeding lips. His hips thrusted uncontrollably, slamming forcefully into me, driving me into the decaying leaves and soft earth. I was shattering under him. The pain was unbearable, and yet with his mouth on mine, I could only drown in it.

I felt when he finished. The pulsing and shuttering was followed by an icy drip that swam up my spine. The cold overtook me and he collapsed, panting in my ear. Bile swirled to my throat, but then there was a massive hand covering my mouth. I tried to swallow it back, but couldn't. I was going to choke on my fucking puke. My body spasmed, but there was too much pressure against my jaw to move my head. I couldn't get away and the monster grinned. My body was flooding with his icy sperm. I was freezing. I was drowning. I was dying. My heart was fluttering erratic and wild inside my chest. And he was smiling like it was _his _goddamned birthday.

He leaned closer, brushing the hand not crushing my face across my cheek like some sort of sick lover. "I've done you a favor," he purred. My vision was fading, blackness sliding in at the edges. "You may even thank me for it one day."

I barely registered when he left, but I wasted no time. I turned my head, every single bone screaming against me. Wracking heaves slammed through my entire body as I puked and vomited and finally, thankfully passed back out.

My next conscious thought was that I was still alive. _Why_ was I still alive? Then, the burning started. Every single vein, each tendon and muscle was incinerated. Slowly. As I screamed in blinding agony, I wished he had just let me choke.

For an eternity I burned.

Then, like waking from a horrible dream, I was aware that whatever was happening was slowing down. The fires that started in fingers and toes were now confined in my chest and throat. My heart thudded heavily in my chest. Then again and then no more. I laid there, hair and clothes damp from the forest beneath me and I was finally dead. I felt relieved until I realized I _could_ feel. Corpses didn't feel, did they? Certainly they wouldn't feel an earthquake.

It started slowly, like the other one, but this was something else. Violence suddenly took over and the ground around me was thrust up and down and side to side. The forest screamed as the earth trembled beneath it. The sound of it echoed in my ears, pounded into my soul. I covered them, knowing I would be too clumsy to move if I got to my feet. I braced myself as best I could and rode it out, minute after minute before the earth sighed and was still. I caught my breath and climbed wearily to my feet. I should be in excruciating pain after the attack. My rapist had left me so broken and bloodied. But somehow, I felt great. My senses were so raw, so brilliant. I could taste the salt of the ocean on my lips and knew I wasn't too far from home.

It had been almost dark when I saw the streak of Charlie's house. So, I couldn't have been gone for more than a few hours. Maybe. That horrible fever made it impossible to recall the passage of time. It could have been years for all I knew.

But as soon as I was on my feet and realized my so-called _fever _had been something else entirely, I forgot about time. With every fiber of my being I could feel it, raging through my veins. I was stronger, lighter; I was _changed_.

There really wasn't time to investigate the feelings of power surging through me. I had to get back home. Charlie would be worried. No matter what, I needed to let him know I was okay. Swallowing past the painful lump in my throat, I took off for home.

The walk was a blur, but somehow I found myself emerging through the trees next to Charlie's. The house looked dark inside, but I could hear the even thumping of some power tool or crappy music that Charlie must be listening to. I knew he was in there. I walked slowly around the house and entered the front door. I turned toward the living room where Charlie would be sitting in his recliner. I wasn't sure how I was going to explain all this, but I was sure he would believe me.

Before I had the chance to even say his name, he was there, hesitating in the doorway and staring at me like he was seeing a ghost. While I was sure I looked like I had just spent several days writhing in the forest, the way Charlie was looking at me left me uneasy.

And he wasn't talking.

I could still the hypnotic sound, a constant thrum pulsing in the background and couldn't place it, but my mind zoned out on it for a moment before he finally spoke.

"Explain yourself."

And I was going to. I really was, but when I opened my mouth everything changed. A taste, violent and overwhelming, flooded my mouth. The very instant it touched my tongue I was consumed. It was Charlie. I narrowed my eyes and didn't care. I wanted him. I wanted to _eat _him. As much as I was horrified and disgusted, there was no control. My muscles, tight and ready, lunged forward. The unshakable Charlie Swan was shivering in his boots.

But I never reached him. Earth itself saved my father that day. I was mid-leap and everything shifted. Charlie fell backward and I missed him. Part of the wall collapsed when I hit it, but the ground kept rumbling. I had never felt anything like this. It was a thousand times worse than the quake. This was devastation.

I met Charlie's eyes. Everyone told me I had his eyes and at the moment I finally saw the compliment. What I had always thought was boring brown I now saw a molten mixture of depth and emotion. He was staring at me like he didn't even know who I was and just like that, with death rolling its way toward Forks, reality slipped back into place. I had been inches from eating Charlie, my _father_. I was sick. I had to get out of there.

A horrifying feeling was rising in me, but I dared whisper one word to him. "Tsunami." And I flew out the door.

Forks is a little town about fifteen minutes from the coast, but the land is relatively flat. The earthquake had disrupted the ocean floor causing a wall of water to ripple out all over the globe. Because of its proximity to the subduction zone, Northwest Washington was the first impacted.

I never realized that it was already too late for all of us. The wall of water was already here. I tried to run, silently choking on my grief for Charlie. I hadn't begun to realize the implication of my transformations, but if I had gone back? I would have died eating on him. Instead, I was attempting to out run the inevitable.

The force of it swept me up immediately and I was caught in a dance of currents. I was pulled in a thousand directions as debris pounded into my head and legs. I thought that I'd die then, that this would be the end. I hoped there'd be time for apologies to Charlie in the afterlife.

I kept my mouth closed, but my lungs were not burning. I wasn't losing consciousness, and yeah, it hurt when a fucking tree slammed into me, but not as much as it probably should. How was I surviving this? What had that monster done to me?

Until the tsunami lost momentum in the climbing terrain of the Olympic National Forest, I lost myself to my mind. I came to in time to grab onto a rock, where I clung until the water receded from sight.

Later, I would find out that not only did the tsunami destroy the Olympic Peninsula, its shockwaves were felt all across the Pacific Ocean: Indonesia, Australia, Hawaii and especially Alaska and Japan. Hundreds of thousands dead as a result. It was devastating and it was only beginning.

The impact would affect an entire chain of fault lines. The San Andreas Fault would be next. Then, the volcanoes. From Washington to the Philippines, the Pacific was inundated with blazing magma and molten rock. The entire world was shifting and mankind was at its mercy. If ever there was an apocalypse, this was it.

I mourned everything there on that rock: my dad, Jake, _Edward_. They never would have had a chance against that kind of swift and total destruction. How could anyone but a freak like me survive? I was wet and sore and lost. Clouds rolled gray and thunderous above me and I realized I was completely alone in a new world.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**-Ending**

Scientists already speculated Cascadia earthquakes have triggered most of the major quakes along the famed San Andreas Fault for at least the last three thousand years. That theory was proven when five days after the 9.7 earthquake at the subduction zone, California began to shake. In recent history, the earthquakes that occurred on that fault were usually localized in the Northern, Central, or Southern California, but at 810 miles in length, it was capable of much more damage than Cascadia.

When it went, a long violent tremor rolled down its length and worries over the tsunami's destruction were forgotten. Parts of California separated from the US and sank into the Pacific. It was catastrophic.

The sudden water displacement spurned another monster tsunami, completely decimating coastlines worldwide. The aftershocks were felt in Idaho, Utah, and Arizona.

The Cascadia quake gave way to the California Split which would, only forty six days later, spawn a series of volcanic eruptions. Mount Baker _and_ Mount St Helens in Washington, alone, but there were hundreds that erupted throughout the entire western hemisphere. Thankfully, the sleeping super-volcano of in Yellowstone remained undisturbed. No one knew when that might change. Still, ash and smoke entered the atmosphere and covered the skies worldwide.

Again, I found about this well after the fact. Sure, I knew people were scared, but I was thriving on that fear. I had come to understand what I was in Tacoma and laid a destructive path of my own.

Amendment to life lesson number two: _**Vampires**__ are real_.

And I was a vampire. I lived for blood. I murdered my way through the central US, ignorant of the staggering changes happening around me. I stayed ahead of the shifting planet and anyone that might catch wind of me. I had to feed to live and in turn, I lived to feed.

By the one year anniversary of the Cascadia quake, I started to regain some normality. My innate cravings had worn off and I could finally consider my luck. A third of all Americans were dead. Another two million were dead in Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. The entire earth was encompassed in a thick ash cloud, keeping a gray cover hanging over the sky and blocking the sun's light. It was a vampire's paradise.

I moved anonymously through middle America for weeks after the craze diminished. I was lost again. The bloodlust had at least kept me focused. With my mind able to think on other things, I thought about… other things.

Everything was so different, yet part of me held hope that some of the people I knew had survived the cataclysm. I hoped Charlie had gotten out, though I knew it was doubtful. I would never know what became of Renee, either. Top that off with the realization that, yes, though I had spared my father, I had gone on to kill over a hundred other nameless innocents along the way and I was a mess of angst and shame. I was the worst kind of monster: one that regrets its actions, but does nothing to change them. But acknowledging that was my first step to adapting.

I slowly made my way West again, hoping of word of survivors and taking in a landscape that was alien. It's amazing what the earth had done in such a geologically short period of time. It was a cycle of renewal, of moving forward. I used it as a metaphor for my life. It was time to move forward. I couldn't change what I'd become. I couldn't undo the wrong that had been done to me or to so those I loved. But I could forward myself, make myself better than the murderous leech I had been for the last twelve months. Still, the landscape was as bleak as my prospects, but I had more, now. I had hope again.

Life around me was different. Crops struggled through a frigid summer and livestock numbers were dropping. Mankind was going to have a tough go of things before the end of this. The survivors banded together and headed south to the Four Corners and into northern Texas. I'd spent the last few months feeding along the outside of the larger settlements. Those that chose to stay north were a ragged, hardier bunch.

Traveling was slow going even with my incredible speed and superb sense of direction. The colder temperatures and frosty ground didn't bother me, but going a week or more between settlements was trying. My thirst was usually abated for only a few days, but the further North I travelled, the colder it got and the less healthy the humans were. Malnourished humans meant a hungry vampire, but I was determined not to feed more than once a week. No more than absolutely necessary.

I couldn't even get to where Forks used to be. The Pacific rolled through the trees into what used to be the Olympic National Forest. Ocean levels around the world had risen more drastically than I anticipated. The disparity almost made me jump in. I could easily swim through the icy water, but what would be the point? There were miles and miles of ocean and nothing else. I wouldn't find survivors in its depths and I would have to walk around in frozen clothes. No, there was nothing left for me in Washington, but with the realization came that lonely despair. Now, there was nothing to keep me from the desolation of knowing I was absolutely alone in this world.

It was misery that brought me an understanding of life lesson number three: _Vampires don't need __**human**__ blood to survive._

The deer ran too close. It was probably curiosity, but we all know how that ends. I can't say much for that first taste. Even sick humans tasted better than that. But it was a good alternative. I don't know if the massive eruptions were enough to send the earth into another ice age, but the ash and gasses in the air could linger for decades. Climate was going to stay in limbo for awhile. Nothing would remain unaffected by the long years of freezing hunger. It was nice to know my meal plan could include options.

I wandered aimlessly after that. I no longer had direction of any kind and finding a place for a vampire in this world was next to impossible. I spent the next three years covering the Northern US and Canada. I tried to only feed on those humans who were near death and with the never-ending struggle to survive on this new planet, there were plenty to choose from. It wasn't until that third winter that I ran into another vampire.

If I hadn't been draining an elk, I would have been aware that someone was watching me. As it was, I could have easily been taken down with my attention engaged. But Garrett wasn't interested in a fight. Having been changed during the Revolutionary War, he was accustomed to meeting nomadic vampires. I was not. I had not seen one since the monster that raped me and turned me into this. I was naturally untrusting.

I managed to lash out a couple of times, but he only laughed and wrapped strong arms around me, effectively cutting off my strikes. Well-fed burgundy eyes stared into mine with amusement as I struggled against his immovable arms. "A wild one!"

"Let me go!" I shouted and aimed a knee between his legs. I wasn't sure if it was the same for vampire males, but the way he moved out of the way made me think I came very close to taking him down.

Garrett smiled and held his palms to me as he backed up a few paces. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said placating. "I just wanted to say hello. I know most of the Nomads but I don't believe we have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

He held out a hand and I just stared at it. Should I trust him? At this point, did I really have any other choice? He must have seen the decision on my face.

"Garrett Hallock, ma'am," he introduced with a deep bow.

I hesitated an instant longer, staring at the sandy-haired vampire. Then, I reached out and shook his hand. "Bella."

"Well, Bella, perhaps you and I should get to know each other better."

What started as a tentative companionship blossomed quickly as Garrett supplied me with the friendship I'd been craving. He taught me fighting skills that I so pitifully lacked and told old war stories that were silly and sad. And I hadn't had a real conversation in three years. I felt more normal than I had since the change.

"So, are there many others like us?" I asked him many months later.

"Not like you, no," he answered with a wink.

I shoved his shoulder playfully. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Garrett's face held his smile, but I could still see the intensity building. "You have no idea, do you? Have you really been alone this whole time?" I nodded weakly as he stepped forward. The pads of his thumbs gently ran across the swell of my cheek and he stared hard into my eyes. He'd never been close like this, not while we weren't training. He'd never _touched_ me like this. I had to catch my breath.

"Don't you know what a wonder you are?"

The strength of the moment had caught me off guard. I wasn't sure how to react. Garrett just moved closer, aligning his body with mine so I could feel each hard plane of his chest against the curve of mine.

"First, your autumn eyes testify to a diet of both human and animal. I can't understand why you would want to do it, but it suits you I think." His smile slid wider. "But the rest? It's in the way you _move_, Bella. I knew at first glance."

"What's in the way I move?"

He was still in raw disbelief, but leaned even closer. "_Succubus_," he whispered against my neck.

A chill ran through my body. I didn't even recognize the term, but his voice against my skin was igniting something inside me. He leaned away quickly. "You didn't know."

"Know what?"

"You must be starving."

I got the feeling we weren't talking about blood anymore. "What are you talking about?" I breathed. A little ball of electricity hummed through my body from his proximity. I had to get myself under control.

"You're the one that had sex with a succubus. You tell me."

"What the fuck?"

Garrett laughed but was embarrassed. "Look, none of my business, but vampire semen made you what you are. It was the sex."

"It was the _rape_," I spat back and stepped completely away from him.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly surprised. "It's not usually… I've not heard of…that was wrong."

But, the rapist bit me, didn't he? Wasn't that how this worked? Or _had_ I bit myself? I felt a little queasy.

Garrett gently wrapped his arms back around me. "I didn't know my sire, either. He was just some rogue, dining on the casualties of battle. I'd been shot in the neck. There was so much blood and I think that's what caught his attention. I was close already. His bite didn't even hurt.

"He meant to finish it, I'm sure, but my brother caught him in the act. The vampire stopped feeding on me and turned to him. Three days later I woke up with his rotting corpse lying next to me. His hand was stretched out, reaching for comfort.

"I knew nothing but the burn."

I brought my hands down and wrapped my fingers through his. I remembered. The pain of changing was too intense to focus on anything other than that. I knew. I knew all too well.

"I almost killed my father," I gave him, because we weren't alone in this. Not anymore.

He nodded sadly and again caressed my cheeks. "You are beautiful, Bella. I'm so glad to have met you."

I smiled back and he stepped away slowly, but kept hold of my hand. Then, we were running. He didn't mention the succubus thing again and I was glad. I really wasn't ready to explore it further. Instead, we found a freezing family in the woods and fed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**-Surprise**

They called the phenomena a mini-Ice Age and it was expected to last at least a decade. Glaciers were slowly taking Northern Canada, but temperatures had plummeted around the globe. An arctic chill had glazed everything far into the deserts of Iraq and Egypt. North America was a wasteland. The entire infrastructure gone, or so far buried that no one knew what to do.

Humanity was rebounding, even in the dire conditions, but so many had been lost already. The survivors were truly that. Ragged, but habitable townships sprouted up. Garrett and I made our way marveling at the drastic changes in the short time since either of us had been this way.

I began relying on only animals for sustenance, carnivores when I could find them. And Garrett continued to turn his nose disgustedly at me.

"It makes you smell, you know," he commented one afternoon after I returned from hunting.

I wiped my mouth casually with the sleeve of the dusty gray jacket I wore and shot him a daring grin. "Mmmm," I growled, inhaling deeply.

Garret laughed. "That's why I stick around, Bella. You are good for hours of wholesome entertainment."

"Glad you find me so amusing," I snickered and dropped onto the icy ground beside him.

He turned his gaze to the cloudy sky above. I sensed the change in his demeanor immediately. The humor was gone and replaced on something darker, something that scared me. Before I had the chance, he said quietly, "There are other vampires close by. I ran across their scent while you were gone."

I sighed loudly. "That's it?"

He turned his head to me again. "I know them," he answered cryptically.

That's how I found myself in the middle of what used to be Detroit. The city was deserted except for the shells of empty buildings. They rose like a great monolithic cemetery, dark and looming high above our heads. With steel gray clouds hanging in the atmosphere, the entire scene was undeniably spooky. The two vampires stalking toward us across Capital Park did nothing to settle my nerves.

Garrett and I were seated on a bench and I could tell that even through his relaxed slouch, he was tense, too. We watched them come, saying nothing the whole time, but I could feel my companion thinking. His brain whirred. By the time I could make out the faces beneath the dark hoods, my hackles were raised.

"Garrett, so nice to run into you again," the smaller figure said. She was small, her voice high as a bell, but she was much more the commanding presence. The other, a taller and broader male, lurked in the background remaining quietly menacing.

"And it's such a comfort that the Volturi is already here to rattle our cages, Jane," Garrett said and sat up straight. Actually, I wasn't sure if he was even on the bench or hovering above it at that point. I wondered what he knew and I didn't, because something had him ready to attack at a given moment. The other two must have sensed this as well. The male edged closer and snarled.

Jane giggled. "Always one for the dramatic. Heel, Felix," she hissed at her companion. "We don't want to be rude. We haven't even been introduced to Garrett's new friend."

The sickening saccharine of her voice almost made me gag, but Garrett saved me from saying anything as he finally rose to his feet. "What are you doing here?" He followed with a feral growl. I'd never heard him make any sound like that before.

Jane's girlish smile turned cold. "Reconnaissance," she answered silkily.

"Which means anything," Garrett growled impatiently. "What does Aro want here?"

"I think he'd be rather interested your succubus," Felix whispered lowly and Jane's face brightened. She brushed her hood off revealing pale hair knotted neatly at the back of her head. Her crimson eyes glimmered. She raised a tiny hand toward me, like she was going to touch my hair.

Garrett put his whole body in front of mine in an instant. "Leave her alone," he threatened. Then, he dropped. Garrett was suddenly rolling at my feet, clutching his head and whimpering in pain. Seconds later, he ceased all movement and lay completely still on the cement.

I looked back at Jane. She was smiling broadly now, her glinting eyes directed at me. I met them and stared. Whatever she had done to Garrett she wanted to do to me. Feeling helpless, I could only wait for her attack. Slowly, her grin wavered before turning into a scowl. I cringed back, but Garrett's sudden laughter distracted me. He was back on his feet and his face was amused and astonished. I found myself smiling too. I didn't understand it, but somehow, she couldn't touch me. Jane huffed furiously and finally looked away.

"This is Bella," Garrett finally introduced.

"Aro _would_ be interested in her," Jane finally said, "but we have other business here that doesn't concern you."

"I'm sure," Garrett murmured thoughtfully. "Then, we won't hold you up."

I was relieved the entire encounter lasted only a few minutes. Garrett and I headed south and left the others to the desolation of Detroit. We were well into Indiana before I dared bring up the subject again.

"What the hell was that?" I breached none too gently.

Garrett finally stalled his walk and turned to me. It was the first time he'd looked in my direction since Michigan and it was unsettling. He was looking at me like I was a mystery, like he didn't know who I was. If Garrett didn't know me then I didn't know myself. I didn't like that.

"Somehow she didn't affect you," he whispered, pulling me against his body. Mine responded by blazing from his touch. His ruby eyes captured mine. "You saw what she did to me and that wasn't half of what she tried on you. Aside your being a succubus, I've never seen anything like it."

"I don't get it. Is there something wrong with me?"

He laughed again. "Never wrong, Bella, only astonishing. Your gifts go beyond sexual prowess. You're powerful, even when clearly not satiated, and now to find out you have a shield! It's quite remarkable, my lady." He gave me a little bow in mock reverence.

"A shield?"

"Absolutely," he agreed and grabbed my hand. "And the strongest shield anyone has ever seen." He laughed loudly and began walking. "Did you see that look on Jane's face? _Priceless_!"

It would be years before I saw Jane or Felix again, but our paths would eventually cross. In the meantime, Garrett and I ran across other nomads and small covens dotted all along the northern borders of the New American Territories. The remaining habitable states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas became the human stronghold and vampires tended to stick close to their food source. I was happiest in Colorado and Utah, hunting the game that still managed to flourish in the post-apocalyptic climate in addition to the sturdy human survivors dotting the mountains. With Garrett's dietary preferences to consider, we tended to stick closer to the unofficial boundary lines, making humans a part of my diet with more frequency than I liked. After such a long abstinence, it still felt a little weird feeding from them. But by year nine, I had no choice but to kill for fear of disrupting the precarious balance of earth's strained ecosystem.

I'd known for many years that I was more than a vampire, that there was something different about me that separated me from even others of my kind. Garrett had given me a name the first time we met and Felix had said it again; _succubus_. I'd been able to resist that side of myself for so long, but I couldn't pretend I wasn't starving anymore. Merely feeding on blood, man or animal, just wasn't satisfying. My energy was slipping and Garrett noticed.

The day was gloomy and overcast as they all had been since the beginning of all this. We were winding our way through thigh high snow just outside of what used to be Salt Lake City. I'd been struggling to keep up with Garrett's pace for the past several days and he'd noticed. Suddenly, he grabbed my elbow and turned me to him. Dark eyes studied mine for a long silent moment. His gaze was so intense that I naturally shied away. He moved into me until my breasts were grazing his chest as my breathing quickened.

He raised his hand and slowly brushed my cheek, a gentle and familiar gesture that sent shivers of heat rolling up and down my body. "Let me help you," he whispered and brought his face to mine.

The last time I'd been kissed I was human. The last time wasn't even on my mouth, but it was Edward's kiss and I would never forget it no matter how much time and tragedy passed. Garrett's lips touched mine with such energy that my whole body ignited. The flash of heat exploded and he groaned and wrapped his long arms around me.

It's hard to determine the exact moment that instead of kissing me, I was kissing him. I was simply flooded with passion. To stop would be unnatural, impossible. It was as if the power reared up and I was suddenly, irrevocably free. Garrett let me attack him, until I started pushing him to his back in the deep icy snow. Then, he put a hand to my shoulder and pushed back until I had no choice to pull my lips from his.

He smiled. "There you are," he said softly into my mouth. I could feel things changing in that moment. He was going to lean forward again and this time, when our lips touched they would not stop. I could feel the energy the kiss had brought as it surged through my veins. It was an epiphany, a revelation. I _needed_ this power rushing through me just as I needed blood. My hips pushed forward and his answering erection sent a thrill of excitement shuddering through me.

A howl suddenly cut through the high mountain air. Garrett and I both froze and listened as the sound echoed through the cliffs. That wasn't the sound of any wolf I'd heard before. But I didn't get a real chance to mull it over. Garrett cursed under his breath and quickly shoved me off him and was on his feet. A protective growl rumbled from his chest at something I couldn't yet see.

My eyes scanned the white and green landscape. The energy the kiss gave me coursed through my veins like adrenaline. I shuddered to think what it would feel like to actually have sex, let alone orgasm. That energy would have me reeling for sure. The overcoming lust that had been tearing me apart a few moments ago had to be swept aside as I tried to make sense of what was happening.

Tension made the air thick and a distinct smell left a bitter taste on my tongue. I peered cautiously over Garrett's shoulder, looking for the threat we both felt. My body was reacting on instinct and my muscles were coiling, anticipating the fight.

But when the first one stalked out of the trees, I paused. It did resemble a wolf in that it had a long snout and canine ears, but that's where the similarities ended. The sheer enormity of the beast was staggering. Raw power pushed each leg forward slowly. It was covered in black fur and its broad chest rippled with layers of muscle. I was immediately intimidated and pressed closer to Garrett. It was obvious this beast was not afraid of us. Its intent to harm was unmistakable.

Then, the next one stepped from the trees. The silver she-wolf wasn't quite as large as her pack mate. Still, her head would have been eye level with Garrett's, but she kept it low expecting us to bolt. Her lips curled back to reveal bright teeth when she growled lowly. The black wolf cocked its head as if it understood the other one. They both started stalking forward again, moving to trap Garrett and I between them. There was nowhere to run.

"Please, we mean you no harm," I pleaded.

The silver wolf snorted, but at least I knew they understood what I said, so I tried again. "We were just passing through."

It was the black one that shook his head and they were about to attack. Hind legs bent to spring and instinct ripped a growl from my throat.

"Stop!" A voice suddenly yelled. Swift footsteps were running straight at the wolves. A man, dark skinned and built, charged forward. "Stop," he said again and I realized he was standing right in front of me. Black eyes scanned mine and recognition dawned in both of us at the same instant.

"Bella," he breathed, "it _is_ you."

I looked over the taller and more rugged version of the only friend I had before the world ended. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I blinked, a little woozy at how fast things shifted. Even with my super senses, I was having trouble grasping the sudden change. Someone I knew _had_ survived.

Before my brain could catch up, his long arms wrapped around me and he forcibly lifted my toes from the ground. A sickly ammonia scent invaded my senses and I realized that he and the wolves were the same thing.

Another amendment to life lesson number two: _Not only were vampires real, apparently werewolves were too._

And Jacob Black was one of them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**-Wolfpack**

The relief of seeing someone from before was short lived. Jacob's wolf pals remained openly hostile and Garrett just appeared flummoxed and stayed quiet through most the exchange. Jake took everything in stride after the initial shock and was soon prattling on as he led us through the snow covered valley like a day instead of a decade had passed since we'd last seen each other.

I was still stunned, unsure of how to handle the new direction my life had taken. In the middle of forging a new future in this decimated land, I was slapped with the past. I didn't know whether to hope this meant something. Maybe other people from Forks had survived. Maybe Charlie. Jake and his friends might be supernatural beings, but it was enough for the thought to cross my mind. I didn't even know how to breach the subject and Jake seemed completely content to ramble about old times.

"And I finally convinced you to do it," he said and brought me back to the conversation. "You were so scared!"

I growled over Jake's barking laughter. "I was right to be scared," I hissed, remembering that fateful jump off the La Push cliffs. I missed two days of school. "I almost drowned!"

Garrett laughed with him. "Good thing Sam and I were there to save your ass."

I was about to make my retort via swift jab to his meaty throat, but a warning look from Garrett made me pause. He knew me too well and neither of us stood a chance against a pack of werewolves this size, even if Jacob was acting ally.

"Ain't that right, Sammy-boy?" Jake gestured toward the large black wolf.

I looked the beast over with renewed interest. I was looking for familiarity beneath the shiny black fur and could find none, not even in the intelligent eyes. I got the feeling that he was sizing me up in the same way. I imagined I looked different than the half drowned girl he pulled from the water that day in La Push. I certainly wasn't _that _girl anymore.

Though he kept the conversation going, Jake continued on light topics. He hadn't once breached the topic of our home, its people. But after we had stopped to make camp, I could hold my tongue no longer.

"Jake," I said in a quiet voice, "tell me. If you survived, there must have been others. Tell me what you know."

The heavy way he dropped his head was all the answer I needed. I almost wished he wouldn't tell me, but the opening was enough to invite Jake to tell his story.

"I didn't even know what I was until the tsunami hit. It had everything to do with the horror and stress of those first moments. That's what I keep telling myself."

Sam and the she-wolf entered the clearing at that moment. They were both clad in cut-offs and dirty T-shirts, shoeless against the icy ground. Her hair was longer than the men's, but otherwise, they were so similar they could have been siblings. I knew better. Jacob Black had two sisters and they had not been in La Push when the end came. I couldn't place the woman at all.

Sam, on the other hand, was just a bigger version of the same boy from the beach. I even smiled a little as he approached and dropped on the opposite side of the fire. "We were destined to change anyway," he said unhappily. "It is the nature of our people."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Sam has his own theories."

"Theories?" the other wolf barked. "It was only a matter of time before we shifted. We are the protectors of the Quileute."

"A fuck-load of good that did them," the she-wolf mumbled.

Jake sent them each a glare as if to remind them he was the one telling the story. "I was engulfed in the waves before I could blink and I thought I was dead. But then…then, my body started boiling. Even the water started bubbling around me. And I burst through my skin, all fur and fire. I exploded and suddenly I was strong enough to push through the water. Like it wasn't even there.

"When I came to I was alone, miles from La push. There was nothing left." The memories hung heavily in his eyes. I wanted to cry for his loss and if I had the tears it would have been easy. His losses were part of my own. Unable to do anything else, I reached out a hand and grabbed his. I was a little taken aback by his heat, but managed to keep the shock to myself. After so many years of cold I had forgotten what being warm felt like. But I wanted to offer what little comfort I could to my oldest friend. He needed it as much as I did.

Jacob's grateful fingers wound into mine and he tightened the grip. "I found Sam and Leah prowling the beaches later in the afternoon, but…but there was no one else around for miles."

"I'm sorry," I told them. "You were lucky."

"Yeah, real lucky. We've lost our friends, our families. We've barely survived and _now_ we find you," the woman hissed from the other side of the flames.

"Leah!" Jake admonished.

In an instant, the she-wolf was on her feet and panting heavily. "It _is _her fault. It's _all_ her fault!" The ferocity of her words were somewhat lessened by the tears in her eyes, but I didn't care. I might not know exactly what she was talking about, but I did know that she was blaming me for her troubles.

A low growl emanating from my throat as Leah bent into her own defensive crouch. Her eyes grew wider and they took on the eerie gleam of the animal she was. Just as I was ready to strike a hard arm wrapped around me. I found myself pressed into Garrett's chest struggling against his immense strength. Both Jake and Sam were holding Leah back, but she was in the midst of changing. Fur sprouted from her legs and arms. Her face elongated and bright white teeth snapped menacingly in my direction. Those yellow eyes never left mine. I was staring directly into the eyes of a beast.

"_G_oddamnit, Leah, _heel_!" Jake bellowed, voice deep and resonant in the high mountain air.

It was as if chains were thrown around her. Leah's struggles suddenly stopped and she fell to the snowy ground in a panting heap. Tears rolled down her now human face. They fell into the ice and steamed. A moment later she was standing numbly on her feet again. Without looking at either me or Garrett, she turned around and ran for the cover of the trees. Sam was on her heels and I could have sworn I heard her bawl just before her voice turned into a howl.

Garrett released me and Jake looked at us with sad eyes. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's been a rough couple of months."

"Who is she mourning?" Garrett wondered as he settling back beside the fire.

"Embry," came the sullen answer. "We lost him six months ago near Indianapolis in an ambush. Leah hasn't been herself since."

"Sounds like she was blaming us." I wasn't going to let her make me feel like I was responsible for anything that'd gone wrong in her life. I didn't even know her.

"It's complicated," Jacob sighed. He was so much more than the boy I had known.

"Uncomplicate it, then." I was a bit surprised by the brusqueness in Garrett's voice. This far he'd kept a neutral stance with my friend, but now sounded as piqued as I was.

Jake stared into the flames. "We almost ran into the two of you before, you know. Of course, I didn't know it was Bella at the time. I didn't know this had happened to you. None of us had any idea." He ran his big dark hands over his face and groaned softly. When he resumed speaking, his eyes were staring directly into mine. "We were hunting you. That's when it happened. There were rogues waiting for us. We didn't even have the chance to scent them before the attack. Two of them took all four of us and not all of us made it through."

"You were hunting me?"

Jake nodded. "Both of you. But we didn't know who it was. Last time I saw you we were both human. I had no idea who we were chasing. That…well, that just makes it harder for Leah to handle. She'll come around eventually. She just needs to adjust to the idea."

"Adjust? Jake…" I really had liked seeing Jake, but I wasn't planning on hanging around for any amount of time. Leah was impossible and then there was whatever was happening between Garrett and I that needed further investigation. Alone.

"No, it'll be fine. You don't know how _surprising_ this bit of news will be back at the house." Jake smiled a lazy, contented smile.

"You keep a home near here?" Garrett wondered. I shot him a narrowed-eyed glance from the corner of my eye. He didn't need to exasperate the situation.

"Sure, sure," Jake agreed and lounged back onto an elbow. "Be there sometime tomorrow afternoon." He shot me a relaxed shrug. "They're going to love to see you again, Bells." Jake was asleep and snoring happily a few minutes later.

"Let's get out of here." I jumped to my feet a shot my hand toward Garrett. He took it with a dubious look.

"What's the hurry? You're not happy to see your friend?" he asked. I was already trying to pull him to the tree line, but he dug in his heels. "Whoa, Bella. We can't just storm out of here. The other two are prowling around. After what Jake told us, do you really think we'll be able to march out of here without a fight?"

"You think we're some kind of hostages?"

"I think they believe we had something to do with their packmate's death," Garrett answered sagely.

"There's something he's not telling us," I insisted and tugged gently.

Still, Garrett refused to move. "Exactly."

The other two wolves returned and put an abrupt end to our disagreement. Garrett and I stayed huddled near the fire sending each other loaded glares. We were caught in the middle of a silent standstill. I wanted to leave. Something about Jacob's story sat unwell with me. Now that Leah had returned, I knew what. She was curling up next to him for warmth, but Sam sat stonily on the other side of her and stared into the forest, standing guard.

Morning came slowly to the new world. With the never ending cloud cover, it was only a lighter gray announcing the new day. But today was blanketed by a thin colorless cover, the sun threatening through the haze. Each week we saw more bursts of sunshine. After a decade, even a minute of the life giving rays was enough. It looked as though the sun would break through at any moment that morning, lifting all our moods. Even dour Leah was laughing and joking with Sam as they doused the embers. Jake was all smiles.

"We're just through the next few ridges," he said pointing toward the towering cliffs.

"Jake, it's been really great seeing you, but Garrett and I need to – " I began, but he cut me off with a laugh.

"The family will really want to see you again," he said sincerely.

"Family? But, you said you were the only survivors."

He laughed again. "That's not what I said. We were the only survivors left on First Beach. We found the others later. There might be a few faces you recognize."

Leah snorted. I glanced at Garrett and he shrugged. He told me so. I didn't really have a choice. Whether we were friends or foes, how _could_ I stop myself from going now?

The cloud cover hung around until early afternoon. There were patches of blue sky peeking through the wispy white. We raced each other through the pass. They were as agile as Garrett and I and almost as quick. I was the fastest, but I had new appreciation for Jake and his wolfy pals. Their immense bodies were made for this. Had they been hunting us, it could have been quite a battle.

By the time we caught wind of _others_, the sun had finally broken free and was shining down on the high tops of the pine forest. The stray bits of struggling light hit our skin as we slowed to a walk. A thousand reflections bounced off us, like walking through a galaxy. It was awesome. I knew my skin would sparkle – I had seen the opalescence shimmering through on some days – but I had no clue the real effect would be so Spielberg.

The wolves were excited. Their monstrous heads suddenly whipped around franticly and their nostrils flared as they snorted at the air. The giddiness of sparkling all over the forest dissipated immediately. Apprehension oozed from them. Garrett latched onto my hand and squeezed my fingers tightly. We hesitated and let the wolves run out into the trees. It was a good ten minutes before Jake came bounding back in all his naked glory. I tried not to notice the crisp lines of his muscles or his deep brown skin that covered every inch of him. His long smooth body was overtly masculine. A wave of hunger hit me and I couldn't stop from licking my lips.

"I'm going to take you on," he told us. "Leah and Sam are going to trace the scent and find who's been out here."

"If it's all the same to you," Garrett spoke suddenly, "I'd like to go with them."

I shook my head and gripped tighter to his hand. Jake said, "No, we can't be responsible if something were to go wrong."

"Have you been having trouble with the Volturi for long?" Garrett asked. "Because some of these trails are weeks old."

Jake looked perplexed. "How do you know who?"

I inhaled deeply but could not tell what Garrett was talking about. I could indeed smell other vamps, but for me distinguishing separate persons or phase of the scents was impossible. I'd never noticed Garrett having a strong sense of smell, but now that it was called to my attention, he always did seem to know so much from the smallest whiff. I eyed my friend, interested in this new development.

"We ran into them in Michigan a few months back," he responded.

"It's the same vampires from Detroit?" I wondered aloud. Garrett agreed with a nod and my mind easily went back to the vampires we met there. He had insisted they were dangerous, but Jane's ineffectual power hadn't given me anything to be afraid of. I hadn't given the pair further thought until that moment. Now I wondered if there was significance to their scents so near Jacob's home.

"I know them," Garrett continued, his voice steel resolve. "I'll be able to help if Sam and Leah come upon them."

"No way!" I stepped between them so I could have Garrett's undivided attention. "You can't leave me! You and I? We're a package deal, buddy." I emphasized this point by sticking my finger into his chest repeatedly. "You are not allowed to go off on your own. I won't let you."

Garrett smiled and brought his hand to my cheek. He brushed his fingers lightly across it. "It's you and me against the world, babe. Go with Jake."

He leaned in and kissed me, soft and deep. By the time he moved away I forgot what I was arguing about.

"I'll be with you again soon," he promised and was gone.

I took a shaky breath and turned back to Jake. His eyes were wide and his mouth was open slightly and he was just staring at me with a dumb look on his face. He looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"You ready?" I asked, somewhat wary of his stunned expression.

Jake bobbed his mouth open and shut a few times before finally nodding. His back bent suddenly at an awkward angle. Hair sprouted from him as his bones contorted and realigned themselves. A shimmer of heat rose from him and with a great tearing sound, Jacob looked back at me as a werewolf. The entire sight was awesome and I was the one left gaping. Jake gave a quick bark and turned and trotted off. With a grim acceptance, I followed him home.


End file.
